By Cansu Waldron

Olga Larikova is a visual artist whose practice moves between digital art, hyperrealistic pencil drawing, photography, and energy-based mirror paintings known as yantras. She has created album covers and visual work for musicians including Joelle James and Saweetie, translating sound, emotion, and presence into striking visual narratives. Deeply inspired by music and spirituality, Olga approaches each piece as an energetic exchange — whether she’s rendering a luminous digital portrait or constructing a meditative yantra designed to hold intention and vibration.

She didn’t set out to become a “digital artist” — she simply always felt compelled to create. As a child, she dreamed of drawing cartoons and became fascinated with faces and eyes, even attempting to sketch Britney Spears from a tiny postcard, an early lesson in patience and focus. Her first works were pencil portraits of friends and family, which gradually evolved into hyperrealistic depictions of the hip-hop artists she admired. In 2016, discovering Procreate opened up a new dimension of color and light, eventually leading her into album cover design — once a dream, now a central part of her daily practice. Rooted in intuition and love, her work treats every image as a vessel of energy, trusting the process and allowing form to emerge from the unseen.

We asked Olga about her art, creative process, and inspirations.

Can you tell us about your background as a digital artist? How did you get started in this field?

I didn’t begin my journey thinking of myself as a digital artist — I simply loved to create. As a child, I dreamed of drawing cartoons and bringing stories to life, always drawn to faces and eyes. I even remember trying to draw Britney Spears from a small postcard — it was challenging, but it taught me persistence and focus, qualities that still guide my work today. My first works were pencil portraits of friends and family. As my style evolved, I began creating hyperrealistic portraits of the hip-hop musicians I admired, capturing their energy and presence on paper. Music has always been my greatest inspiration. Digital art came later, when I discovered Procreate in 2016. It opened a whole new world of color, light, and limitless possibilities. I began creating digital portraits of musicians, which naturally evolved into designing album covers — something that once felt like a dream and is now my everyday creative practice.

You move between digital art, hyperrealistic drawing, photography, and yantras — how do you decide which medium a feeling or project belongs in?

Each medium I work with has its own life and energy. Pencil portraits came first, before I discovered digital art. I haven’t created pencil portraits in a while, though I sometimes miss that tactile feeling and the sharpness of pencils. Photography captures the moment. I love photographing architecture and people — their beauty, their faces, and the essence of their soul. Digital art is where I mainly focus on musicians, turning their music and energy into images and creating album covers. It’s always like a cosmic journey that guides itself, and I simply follow it. Yantras came into my life when I began my spiritual path and search for deeper meaning. They are a separate creative sphere — energetic tools I craft individually for people, designed to transform and elevate energy.

Your yantras feel more like energetic tools than objects. What role do intuition and spirituality play in your creative process?

My entire creative practice is deeply rooted in spirituality. Creating yantras is an incredibly meditative process, guided by intuition, love, and energy. Working with yantras has also changed how I approach all of my art. A yantra is essentially a vessel of energy, and I approach every artwork with the same intention — infusing it with specific energies, with love as the central element. I trust the creative process completely and am always amazed at how visible forms emerge from a blank canvas.

If you could collaborate with any musician, living or not, who would it be?

I would love to collaborate with Alicia Keys — it has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. Honestly, I feel inspired to work with so many artists, especially those whose portraits I’ve already created. It would feel like bringing those visual conversations into real life. There are also timeless legends whose music continues to inspire me deeply — artists like 2Pac, Nipsey Hussle, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, and Bob Marley. Their artistry transcends time, and their energy still shapes the way I see and translate music into visual form. Currently, I have the privilege of working with Joelle James, whose creativity and talent I deeply admire. Collaborating with her has been an incredible and inspiring experience.

What is a fun fact about you?

A fun fact about me is that I sometimes listen to the same song for hours while creating art.

What else fills your time when you’re not creating art?

When I’m not creating art, I enjoy exploring self-discovery and psychology and often listen to podcasts on these topics. I meditate, sometimes practice yoga, sometimes go to the gym, or go for long walks in nature. I also love digging for music, especially from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. I occasionally watch films too, though honestly, there isn’t much time for all of this when I’m immersed in my art.

What is a dream project you’d like to make one day?

A dream project I’d love to create is an exhibition sharing my personal story through my artworks. Along my journey, I receive visual insights — images and ideas reflecting my inner transformation — and I will bring this vision to life when the time is right.

Have there been any surprising or memorable responses to your work?

I often hear that my art feels alive. People say they can sense the energy and emotion in it, and it’s always so moving to know that my work connects with them in that way.

What are you most excited to experiment with next — visually, emotionally, or spiritually?

I’m excited to experiment with scale and material — moving into larger canvases and working with acrylic to create more immersive pieces. I’m also drawn to exploring animation, allowing my imagery to move and evolve, almost like giving it another layer of life. Emotionally and spiritually, I’m excited to go deeper — to continue creating work that carries intention and meaning, and that can awaken something positive and transformative in others.